Fifth generation Audi A4 has been spied testing, wearing its production lights and less camouflage than before.
Once again, it has been spied in Avant wagon form. We’ve yet to see a prototype of the new A4 sedan, and the new generation has been rumored to be wagon-only, with the next-gen A5 Sportback taking the plunge for buyers who prefer a three-box shape.
While the sedan may be on the chopping block, the hot variant is not. Audi is known for its high-performance wagons, and the next-generation A4 is set to spawn S4 and RS4 variants as hot as ever.
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Given that the current generation of the A4 debuted in 2015 and was facelifted in 2019, and the fact that this prototype appears far into development, the reveal of the new generation is likely to happen this year.
The next A4 will reportedly get an available plug-in hybrid powertrain, joining the existing lineup of gasoline and diesel engines.
A high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain could enter the RS4 next, likely a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 PHEV unit.
While rival Mercedes-Benz has switched to a full four-cylinder powertrain lineup for its rival C-Class lineup and its AMG variants, Audi could continue to offer a six for its performance models as BMW does.
The styling is evolutionary, in the Audi tradition. The shape of the grille and headlights are almost identical, although the front bumper has a sharp diagonal crease that goes up to the headlights and more vertically oriented air intakes.
The greenhouse looks quite similar to the current car, as does the steep tailgate. Audi designers didn’t rock the boat.
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Audi RS4 Donkey
Previous photos have revealed the wider A4 family will continue to use a large, tablet-style, landscape-oriented central touchscreen, which will now replace the climate controls.
The next A4, S4 and RS4 are expected to use updated versions of the existing MLB Evo platform, and may be the last to feature a combustion engine.
Audi plans to stop selling cars with internal combustion engines outside of China by 2033.
The A4 is not the only Volkswagen Group product rumored to use only wagons in the next generation.
The Volkswagen Passat sedan has already been discontinued, and the next-generation mid-size will reportedly not offer the three-box body style.
While that may seem unusual – the only body style that seems less popular than the sedan in Australia these days is the wagon – the wagon accounts for the lion’s share of Passat sales in its home market of Germany.
The lack of a sedan could spell the end of the A4 in the US market, but the brand’s commitment to the wagon model here could put it on a more stable footing even though the crossover has been the brand’s biggest seller by a small margin.
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The current A5 Sportback -
Current A4 all the way -
The current S4 sedan
Audi dropped the A4 allroad and its larger A6 allroad showmate in the UK last year but is committed to continuing to offer the model in Australia, calling it an important additional model.
The company sold just 535 examples of the wider A4 range in Australia in 2022, including the high-riding allroad wagon, which is barely more than the 387 examples it sold of the related A5 Sportback.
BMW, on the other hand, sold 2818 examples of the 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz sold 3566 C-Class sedans.
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